Airmen deployed to maintain the U-2 Dragon Lady for its mission over Southwest Asia have amassed more than 155 consecutive launches of the high-flying reconnaissance aircraft without a maintenance-related cancellation. The crews of the 99th Aircraft Maintenance Unit from Beale AFB, Calif., perform “day in and day out,” with “awesome teamwork,” said MSgt. Craig Van Valkenburgh, the 99th AMU production supervisor.
The B-52H Stratofortress that crashed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 15 was helping test a new advanced radar that is key to a sweeping modernization of the six-decade old bomber.